Motor vehicle top carrier



Aug. 29, 1944. E. F. P. JIMMES MOTOR VEHICLE TOP CARRIER Filed Sept. 4,1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l mmumm Aug. 29, 1944. JIMMES 2,357,203

'MOTOR VEHICLE TOP CARRIER Filed Sept. 4, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 3 4-550 I A? I j /9 I I l a 4-6 33 Z54 zz 55 4-8 49 35 .35 34 47 .34-

Skim/wen 1944- E. F. P. JiMMEs 2,357,203

MOTOR VEHICLE TOP CARRIE R 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 4, 1941 PatentedAug. 29, 1944 UNITED STA'i'E PATENT QFFEQE 2,357,203

MO'EQR. VEHKOLE TOP mamas.

Ear-l F. P. .limmes, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application September 4, Nil, Serial No. 409,575

2 Claims.' (oi. 224-29), This invention relates to a novel carrierstructure adapted to be mounted on the top of a motor vehicle to providea carrier for luggage and the like, and which is so constructed that itmay be readily positioned, without the use of tools, on a motor vehicletop and securely retained in position thereon in a manner so that itwill not mar th finish of the top, and at the same time will not in anyway obscure the visibility of the operator of the vehicle, towards thefront, sides or back.

Other objects of the invention are: to provide a carrier which, when notin use, can be suspended in a garage above an automobile so that it canbe readily lowered into a position to rest on the top of the automobile;to provide a carrier mounting so constructed that the forces tending todislodge the carrier from the top of the motor vehicle will counteractone another; to provide a carrier that can be readily attached to ordetached from the top of the motor vehicle by one person and which whenapplied can be locked against removal or displacement; to provide acarrier mounting which is adjustable to maintain the proper tension andwhich is self-equalizing; to provid a mounting which will not interferewith the opening of doors Or trunk and which can be adjusted toaccommodate it to vehicle tops of different contours including sedans,coaches and coupes; and to provide visual indicator means, arranged tobe clearly visible to the operator from the inside of the vehicle, toindicate the position of the carrier thereon, so that any movement ofthe carrier relatively to the vehicle top may be quickly and easilyascertained.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawings,which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and

wherein- I Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away,showing the carrier applied to a sedan or coach top of'an automobile, infull lines, and to the top of a coupe, in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view showing the carrier applied to asedan or coach top;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the carrierin position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front olevational view, partlybroken away, of the intermediate portion of the forward end of thecarrier;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the portion shownin Figure 4, taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 5-5of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of a portionof one side of the carrier looking in a direction toward the forward endthereof, taken substantially along aplane inaicated by the line 6-6 ofFigure 7;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the part shown inFigure 6, taken substantially along aplane indicated by the line 'l-l ofFigure 6, and

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, partly invertical section, showing the means for attaching the carrier to therear bumper of the vehicle.

on the top ll of a sedan or coach. The carrier structure l0 includes abody portion, designated generally l2, which comprises a floor or.platform l3 having upright side and endwalls 14 and which is adapted tocontain luggage or other articles to be carried on the carrier structureIll. The floor l3 has secured to the under side thereof, along its sideedges and forward end, angle members l5 which are attached thereto so asto open inwardly and downwardly thereof, as best seen in Figures 5 and6. The angle members l5, which are attached to the side edge portions ofthefloor I3 are provided with a plurality of pairs of sleeves or barrelportions it which are suitably secured therein. The sleeves of each pairof sleeves are disposed in end to end spaced relationship-to oneanother, and a sleeve or barrel portion ll of a supporting leg 18 isdisposed between the sleeves of each pair of sleeves l6 and pivotallyconnected to the carrier body l2 by means of a hinge pin I9 whichextends through the pair of sleeves l8 and the sleeve H disposedtherebetween. The supporting legs l8 are also provided with sleeves orbarrels 20 at their opposite, free ends which are disposed substantiallyparallel to the sleeves H. The legs l8 have their longitudinal -axesdisposed obliquely to their sleeves I1 and 20, and said legs arearranged in I converging pairs, as seen in Figures land 7. A sleeve ZIis disposed between the sleeves 20, of each converging pair of legs I8and is pivotally connected thereto by means of a hinge pin l9.

A foot member or pad, designated generally 22, and best seen in Figures6 and 7, is connected to each of the pairs of supporting legs I8, Thefoot 1 metal, and an inner or under part or section 24, preferably ofrubber and which is suitably secured to the section 23. The section 23is provided with spaced upwardly projecting apertured lugs 25 and 23A,one of which is provided with a threaded opening 23, and the other ofwhich is provided with a slightly larger unthreaded opening 21. Thesleeves 2I are each connected to a sleeve 23 which is disposed crosswiseof the sleeve 2I and therebeneath and which is positioned between a pairof the lugs 23, as seen in Figure 6. The sleeve 23 is provided with alongitudinal bore 29 which is adapted to slim with an opening 21.

A plurality of flexible members 33 are each provided at an end thereofwith a stud II which is suitably secured thereto and which is providedwith a threaded free end 32. The studs 3I are adapted to extend looselythrough an opening 21, and a bore 23 and to threadedly engage an opening23 for connecting a flexible member 33-to each of the foot members 22and for pivotally connecting each of the foot members 22 to apair oflegs I3. It will be readily apparent that the last mentioned hingeconnection and the hinge connection formed by the sleeves 23 and 2I forma universal joint between each pair of supporting legs I3 and its footmember 22 to permit any angular adjustment of the foot member rela..tively to the supporting legs.

As best seen in Figure 1, three pairs of supporting legs I3 are disposedalong each side of the floor or platform I3. The two rear pairs of legson each side of the body I2 are provided with foot members 22, as shownin Figures 6 and fl, and as previously described. The forward pairs oflegs I3 are provided with slightly modified foot members 220 whichdiffer from the foot members 22 in that the outer ends of their sections23a, as seen in Figure 3, are extended and turned inwardly to form hooks'33, which are adapted to fit into the upper parts of the front dooropenings of the vehicle; as seen at 34. To provide sufilcient space forthe hooks 33 to fit into the upperparts of the door openings 34, whenthe doors are closed, the panels, not shown, between the gutters 33, atthe sides of the top II, and the doors can be removed. The hooks 33 arebent outwardly sufliciently so that when applied, as seen in Figure 3,they will not distort the gutters 33. The remaining portions of the footmembers 22a. and the foot members 22 are disposed on the shoulders ofthe vehicle top II, above the gutters 33 with their cushioning members24 engaging the top II to prevent the foot members or pads 22 and 22afrom marring the finish of the top. The two rear pads or foot members 22engage the downwardly sloping rear ends of the shoulders of the top II,as best seen in Figure 2, and are disposed at a lower level than theother foot members 22 and 22a and, as the platform or floor I3 isadapted to be disposed in substantially a horizontal plane the rearpairs of legs I3A are longer than the intermediate and forward pairs oflegs I3.

Double hooks 33 are mounted on the under side of and intermediate of theends and near the rear end of the floor I3 and aredisposed transverselyof the body I2. The flexible members or cables 33 are provided with eyes31 at their opposite ends for engaging the hook portions of the doublehooks 33, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, for limiting the outwardswinging movement of the pairs of legs I3, which are disposed adjacentthe rear and intermediate of the ends of the body I2, relatively to thefloor I3. It will be readily 73 apparent that by adjusting thescrewvconnections of the studs 3I .with the threaded openings 23 thatthe extent of the outward swinging move-' ment of said legs' I3 can bereduced or increased. It will thus be apparent that'the cables 30 willhold the pads in engagement with the shoulders of the top II so that thesupporting legs I3 will project outwardly and upwardly therefrom.

A pair of hooks 33 are secured in and depend from the under side of thefloor I3 and are disposed in lateral alinement and rearwardly of therearmostdouble hooks 33. A pair of cables or flexible members 33a haveeyelets 31a at corresponding ends thereof which detachably engage thehooks 33. The studs 3Ia of the flexible members 33a are preferablythreaded throughout their length to engage internally threaded sleeves33 which are fastened longitudinally of the inner sides of hooks 43.Hooks 40 are adapted to engage around the outer side of the rear bumper4I and to hook therebeneath for attaching the rear end of the carrierbody I2 to the rear bumper, as best seen in Figures 1 and 2, and indetail in Figure 8.

Referring particularly to Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5, the angle member I3which is disposed across thefront of the body I2 is provided with twopairs of sleeves 42, similar to the sleeves I6 to receive sleeves orbarrel portions 43, similar to the sleeves II. Each pair of sleeves 42is connected to a barrel portion 43 by means of a pintle or hinge pinI3. Each of the sleeves 43 forms an end of a supporting leg 44, similarto the legs I3, and having at the opposite, lower ends thereof sleeves43, corresponding to the sleeves 23. A foot member, or pad 43 is mountedon the downwardly sloping forward end of the top II and centrallythereof and above and adjacent the windshield 41. The foot member 43 isprovided with laterally spaced lugs 43 having alined openings throughwhich is adapted to extend an-elongated pivot pin I3. The sleeves 43loosely engage the ends of the last mentioned pivot pin I3 and areswingably mounted relative ly to the lugs 43 and are disposed on theouter sides thereof. v

The foot member or pad 43 includes an outer rigid section 23 and aninner cushioning section 24A, which latter rests upon the forward partof the top' II. The forward end of the longitudinally disposed part ofthe cushioning section 24A is extended, as seen in Figure 4, and isdisposed over the upper, central portion of the windshield 41, to form avisual indicator 43, as will herein-'7 after become apparent.

A substantially V-shaped supporting member 33 is provided with a sleeveH at its lower end or apex and which is disposed substantially at aright angle to the longitudinal axisof the supporting member 33 andwhich is adapted to be disposed between the lugs 43 for loosely engagingthe hinge pin I3 which extends therethrough. A rod 32 is attached,adjacent its ends, to the free endsgf the legs of the V-shapedsupporting member Referring particularly to Figure 5, a supportingmember 33, which is angular in cross section, is secured to the underside of the floor I3, near the forward end thereof, and is disposedtransversely thereof and arranged to open downwardly and forwardly. Rod32 is free of the supporting member 33. A lever 34 is provided with asleeve 33 on the upper side of one end thereof, and the rear side of thedepending portion of the member 33 is provided with one or more similarsleeves, not shown, forreceiving a pintle l9 which extends through saidsleeves andthe sleeve 55 for plvotally mounting the lever 64 on themember 63. The lever 54 is provided with a transversely disposed anglemember 58, adjacent its pivoted end, which faces upwardly and rearwardlyand which is arranged to cooperate with a portion of the member 53, whenthe lever 54 is in a raised position, to form a substantiallyrectangular confining portion 51 in which the intermediate portion ofthe rod 52 is adapted to be disposed for holding the V-shaped supportingmember 50 in place and in an operative position relatively to thecarrier body I 2. The lever 55 is also provided on its upper side with atrans versely disposed U-shaped member 58 which'is disposed near theangle member 55 and between said member 56 and the free end of the leverd. The upturned free ends of the U-shaped member 58 form hooks adaptedto be detachably engaged by the eyes 31 of the flexible members 3% whichare adjustably connected to the forward foot members or pads 22a. Thelever 5a is provided with a downturned free end 59 which is adapted toengage against the rear side of the depending portion of the forwardangle member it, when the lever 5 is in its raised, full line positionof Figure 5. When said lever 54 is thus disposed, its portion 59 and theportion of said member I5, against which it engages, are provided withapertures 60 which are in alinement and which are adapted to receive apadlock Bl for locking the carrier l0 securely in place on the vehicletop H, as will hereinafter become apparent.

Each ofthe pintles or hinge pins I9 is provided with exposed aperturedends for receiving cotter pins 82 for detachably retaining the hingepins or pintles in engagement with the sleeves or barrel portionsthrough which they extend.

In dotted lines, in Figure l, the outline of the back portion of a coupetop is indicated at i i. It will be readily obvious that theintermediate supporting legs l8 and foot members 22 and the forwardsupporting legs I 8 and foot members 22a will fit a coupe top I l', inthe same manner that they will a sedan or coach top. However, for usewith a coupe top H the rear supporting legs it are removed and replacedby longer supporting legs l8, as seen in dotted lines in Figure 1, andone of which is longer than the other, so as to position the two rearfoot members 22 for engagement with the upper part of the trunk of thecoupe and so that when thus positioned the rear supporting legs l8 willcooperate with the other supporting legs 3 to support the carrier bodyl2 in substantially a, horizontal position, as shown in full lines inFigure 1.

Assuming that the carrier l0 has been lowered into a position above thesedan or coach top I! and that the foot members or pads 22 are inengagement with the shoulders of the top II, as seen in Figure l, withthe lever 54 in its released position, as seen in dotted lines in Figure5, the

forward pair of flexible members will be sufficiently loose to permitthe two forward foot members 22:; to be hooked into the door openings34, as seen in Figure 3. The remaining flexible members 30 beingconnected to the hooks 36 and the foot members-22, said foot members 22will be prevented fromswinging outwardly by the members 30 and will beheld against inward movement by the slope of the shoulders of the top IIto effectively support the weight of the carrier body l2. The flexiblemembers 30a, after adjusting, have their hook portions 40 then attachedto the rear bumper 4| adjacent the ends thereof, which operation willexert a downward pull on the rear end of th body I: causing the forwardend thereof to'move upwardly from its full line to its dotted lineposition of Figure 5. The lever 54 is then swung upwardly until itsmember 56 engages the rod 52 after which the forward end of the body I2is pulled downwardly to thereby cause it to swing downwardly andforwardly and back to its full line position of Figure 5. This will formthe confining portion 5! for holding the V-shaped supporting member 50in substantially an upright positionand will position the supportinglegs dd so that they extend forwardly and are inclined upwardly. Withthe lever 54 thus swung upwardly to a raised position and the forwardend of the body it pulled downwardly the openings 69 will be alined sothat the padlock ti can be applied thereby locking the forward end ofthe body 62 in its full line position of Figure 5. The raising of thelever M will tension the forward pair of flexible members 30 to securelyposition the foot members 22a in engagement with the forward portions ofthe shoulders of the top H and the door openings 34!, so that theforward pairs of supporting legs is will then cooperate with the othersupporting legs it for supporting the weight of the carrier body I2. Thedownward pull on the forward end of the body it will raise the rear endthereof to tension the flexible members 30a and to thereby tightlysecure the carrier in on the vehicle top i i.

It will b readily apparent that the foot member 46 will be held fixedlyin place relatively to the top it due to the fact that the supportingmember 50 will prevent it from sliding downwardly or upwardly relativelyto the top M and the supporting legs 44 will prevent it from swingingoutwardly to thus efiectively secure the forward end of the body 52 tothe vehicle top.

When the vehicle, upon which the carrier it is mounted, moves forward,inertia is overcome and a forward motion of the carrier is maintained bythe force exerted through the legs 44 to thereby prevent backwardslippage of the carrier relatively to the top l I. Likewise, if thevehicle is backed any tendency of the carrier in to slide forwardly isprevented by the flexible members 30a. Lateral slippage is effectivelyprevented by the supporting legs is and pads 22 and 22a in combinationwith the flexible members 300. It will be noted that when-the carrier inis applied it will in no wise obstruct the visibility of the operator ofthe vehicle, on which it is mounted, either from the front, rear orsides and, as seen in Figure 2, will not interfere with the opening ofthe trunk of the vehicle or, as seen in Figure 3, will not preventopening of the doors or windows.

The visual indicator is over the upper central part of the windshield4'! is in full view of the operator so that any movement of the carrierI0 relatively to the top II will be indicated to the operator by amovement of indicator. 49.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to as only preferred embodiments of the invention have beendisclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A structure of the class described comprising a carrier body,supporting legs pivoted thereto and depending therefrom, sleeves pivotedto the lower ends of said legs, foot members to rest on the uppersurface of the motor vehicle top, said ing movement of the legsrelatively to the body connected to the latter and having portionsmounted in the lugs and passing through the sleeves to 'form Journalsfor the latter.

2. A structure of the class described comprising a carrier body,supporting legs pivoted thereto and depending therefrom, sleeves pivotedto the lower ends of said legs, foot members to rest on the uppersurface of the motor vehicle top, said foot members having lugs betweenwhich the sleeves are disposed, and means to limit swingingv movement01' the legs relatively to the body connected to the latter consistingof cables having studs mounted in the lugs and screwthreaded to one ofthem. and passing through the sleeves to form Journals therefor.

EARL F. P. JIMME8.

